Scam Alert: The “Vote for My Kid” and “Urgent Help” WhatsApp Messages Might Access Your Account -

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Scam Alert: The “Vote for My Kid” and “Urgent Help” WhatsApp Messages Might Access Your Account

More and more WhatsApp users are becoming victims of clever frauds that take advantage of their sense of urgency and confidence. Particularly, two scams are spreading quickly, mostly through hijacked accounts of friends and family: the “Vote for My Child” ruse and the “Send Me Money Urgently” fraud. Despite the differences in the scenarios, the fundamental mechanism of all strategies is the same: obtaining unauthorized access to a user’s WhatsApp account and utilizing it to spread the fraud.

These scams frequently result in monetary losses and psychological suffering because they are technically clever and emotionally seductive. Because these methods are so convincing, cybersecurity experts caution that even people who are digitally literate are vulnerable.

How Scams Operate: From Requests for Friendship to Account Takeovers?

The victim of the first kind of fraud gets a message from a known acquaintance requesting assistance in casting a ballot in a kids’ contest. After clicking on a linked URL, the user is asked to input a six-digit number, which the scammer is also asking WhatsApp for as part of an attempt to log in. The victim unintentionally gives the attacker access to their account by providing this verification code.

Once inside, the attacker starts sending the identical message to all of the victim’s contacts, perpetuating the loop, and locks the original user out. The fraud frequently progresses to demands for immediate financial aid, disguised as a medical emergency or trip accident, and requests for small amounts of money to allay suspicions. Because they think the messages are authentic, victims frequently send the demanded sums without confirming the sender’s identity.

This strategy is particularly risky since it circumvents reason and cybersecurity knowledge by using social engineering, which is the manipulation of emotions like trust, fear, and urgency.

What to Do If Your Account Is Compromised or You Are Targeted?

Do not enter verification codes or click on any links in strange messages. Rather:

To verify the authenticity of the request, get in touch with the sender by a different method (phone, SMS, or another app).
Long-press the message, choose “More,” and then “Report” to report it within WhatsApp.
Even if you trust someone, you should never give them your WhatsApp verification code.

In the event that your account has already been compromised, take these actions:

Try using WhatsApp to get back in and ask for a new verification code.
Provide all information about the breach to WhatsApp support at [email protected].
Inform your bank of any transactions involving sensitive information.
To stop future attacks, install a trustworthy security app like Bitdefender or Kaspersky Mobile Security.
Notify CERT or your country’s cybercrime hotline about the event.

Protecting the Most Vulnerable: Helping Elderly Relatives Stay Scam-Free

Due to their increased propensity to trust well-known brands and less awareness of online dangers, older individuals are frequently the targets of cyberattacks. Proactive measures are necessary to protect them:

Make sure their WhatsApp accounts have two-step verification enabled.
Inform them in plain language about common scams.
Establish phone calls to verify any odd requests.
Utilize a family cybersecurity tool to keep an eye on and safeguard their gadgets.

To succeed, cybercriminals need familiarity, urgency, and friendliness. But before any damage is done, awareness, skepticism, and technological safeguards can destroy their strategies.

About The Author:

Yogesh Naager is a content marketer who specializes in the cybersecurity and B2B space. Besides writing for the News4Hackers blogs, he also writes for brands including Craw Security, Bytecode Security, and NASSCOM.